Jesse Weyher | D-33351
Profiles
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Jesse Weyher is a well-rounded skydiver who has accomplished some fantastic milestones across multiple disciplines during his 13 years in the sport. While many are most familiar with his name sitting near the top of canopy piloting scoreboards, he holds every instructional rating in the book, as well. As the most recent addition to the Performance Designs Factory Team, he spends his time exploring the possibilities of canopy flight and gear technology.
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“Since I can remember, Jesse has been stoked on progression, especially when it comes to parachutes. He was my main motivation (and healthy competition) in progressing as a canopy pilot when we were younger jumpers. He’s talented, intelligent and willing to work—an all-around ripper and good guy.” —Mike Brewer, Parachutist profilee #246
Age: 32
Height: 6’2”
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut
Occupation: Aerial Consultant
Education: College of Charleston
Pet Peeves: People pointing at the camera in pictures. People standing on the left side of the escalator. People standing close to the bag carousel when their bag hasn’t arrived yet. Are these supposed to be skydiving pet peeves? The over-use of the word “literally.”
Hobbies: Impressions, drumming, snow skiing, BASE, paragliding, speedflying, shooting, hot sauces, punk rock, horror movies
Rock, Rap or Country? Blink-182, Gang Starr, Johnny Cash
Life Philosophy: I don’t know if it is a philosophy: “The people you see on the way up are the same people you see on the way down.” My dad used to say that to me.
Neat packer or trash packer? Trash packer who thinks he’s neat.
Sponsors: Airtec CYPRES, Alti-2, Cookie, Flight-1, Level Wings, LiquidSky, Phreshair, Sun Path, United Parachute Technologies
Container: Sun Path RSK-1 and NJK; UPT Mutant
Main Canopy: PD Valkyrie 84; Peregrine 84, 71 and 67; Horizon 150
Reserve Canopy: Performance Designs Optimum 113, 126
AAD: Airtec CYPRES Speed
Disciplines: Canopy piloting, freeflying, wingsuit flying. I don’t really want to be classified into any one discipline. Every discipline compliments another and makes you better and more well-rounded. I am a skydiver. I’ll take that one.
Home Drop Zone: Skydive Walterboro in South Carolina (R.I.P.)
Licenses/Ratings: A-64799, B-37744, C-41206, D-33351; Coach, T-I, AFF-I, SL-I, IAD-I; PRO
Medals/Records: First-place sweep of CP Advanced at the 2018 Nationals; 2nd place in CP Open at 2023 Nationals; Lots of FLCPAs (now called North American Swoop Tour); 2nd place in MFS Advanced at 2015 Nationals; 2019 Head-Up World Record.
Total Jumps: 9,500
Tandems: 5,000
Freefly: 2,000
Camera: 800
Wingsuit: 200
Competition/Hop and Pops: The remainder
BASE Jumps: 210
Cutaways: 13
Most people don’t know this about me:
I’m a Latvian citizen. My last name is pronounced “Wire.”
What was it like to successfully complete a canopy barrel roll over a lake last year?
I won’t completely call it a success until I land on a raft or land, but it was surreal. When practicing it up high and looking at the data, I realized it was possible, but you just don’t know until you’re in the seat. That moment was some of best gratification I’ve given myself.
Is there one jump that stands out most?
There are several that stand out. One was arriving at the shoreline, post-first-barrel-roll attempt and being greeted by my close friends and mentors.
How long do you plan on skydiving?
Until the wheels fall off.
What do you like most about the sport?
The friends I’ve made.
What do you like least?
The sometimes surface-level facades, especially with the presence of social media.
Who have been your skydiving mentors?
Early on in Walterboro it was Chuck Carter. Later on, the first Golden Knight canopy pilot taught me about competition, although I still don’t know the zone accuracy scoring system. Travis Mills mentored me further in competition, as well as our work together in Flight-1.
What are your future skydiving goals?
I want to put a barrel roll on land. I want to continue loving this and having fun into old age. Or until my knees stop working … I want to keep being challenged and keep loving what I do. I suppose that’s the simplest way of articulating my goals. They’re not tangible.
Weirdest skydiving moment?
If I could write a book on the things tandem students have said to me over the years …
What safety item do you think is most important?
Brake-line-excess keepers. Jumping with a cell phone. With more and more people flocking to places like Norway and Slovenia to fly in the mountains, I highly recommend jumping a fanny pack with items like a Garmin Inreach, tourniquet, knife, lighter and basic necessities for vast mountain terrain.
How did you become interested in skydiving?
I saw a speedriding scene in a James Bond movie and was curious as to how to get into that. Funny enough, it wasn’t until eight or nine years later that I actually reached at my original goal.
I skydive because …
You never arrive.
Any suggestions for students?
Ask lots of questions. Don’t get married to just one source of information.
What is your favorite jump plane and why?
A Cessna 182 or a Twin Otter. A 182 for the intimate and dramatic door opening, and a Twin Otter, well, because it’s a Twin Otter. The big aircraft, like a C130, are novel as well.
How does your family feel about your career choice?
My mom couldn’t be more supportive. In my dad’s later years, before he passed away, he saw the work I was doing, finally accepted it and endorsed it. Other than that, I’ve always been that fun little party trick for family members to quickly showcase at dinner parties. I’m sure many reading this know exactly what I’m talking about. Please reference the family dinner scene in “Whiplash.”
If you could do a fantasy two-way with anyone, whom would it be with?
Taylor Hawkins (the drummer from the Foo Fighters). He would have been a ripping skydiver. R.I.P.
What is it like to be on the PD Factory Team?
It’s like a piece of warm apple pie.
Is there one jump you would like to do over again?
My first.
Suggestions for USPA:
Please keep ears open and listen to the people who are out in the field jumping every day.
What drives your competitive spirit?
Having a balance of not taking it too seriously and secretly being insanely competitive.
Explain Jesse Weyher in five words:
Arthritic, hungry, thirsty, scrumtrulescent, breezy